U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, continues to lead the opposition to the current immigration reform package, yesterday writing a letter to President Obama asking that he speak with immigration officers with insight into enforcement shortcomings.

"We write today to express concern over the exclusion of immigration and customs
enforcement officers and their representatives from the negotiations
surrounding immigration reform," begins Sessions's letter, which is co-signed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.

Sessions asserts that the National ICE Council, the union for Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees, requested a meeting with "the Administration three months ago to weigh in on immigration policy
and share their firsthand concerns over the breakdown of interior enforcement."

Sessions writes: "To date, they have received no meeting
invitation."

Sessions has been outspoken in his opposition to the sweeping immigration reforms proposed by the bipartisan Gang of Eight in the Senate.

In February, during an early hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sessions asked Chris Crane if President Obama or anyone in the administration had asked for input on immigration reform.

“No, senator,” answered Crane, president of ICE workers union. “In fact what we see is the special interest groups are brought into ICE headquarters” and do not include the ICE officers in legislative planning. “They completely shut us out," said Crane.

During that February hearing, Sessions suggested there should be more work done on a border fence and enforcement of existing laws. Secretary Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security told Sessions that the U.S. border has "never been stronger" and that border security was often used to distract from larger issues.

Sessions back in February argued that the current administration had met with big business, agricultural concerns and immigration activists, but neither border patrol nor ICE agents.

"To be effective any immigration reform bill must heed the warnings from our
federal immigration agents," wrote Sessions yesterday. "Unfortunately, far from being included in the
process, ICE officers have been shut out and have even had their day-to-day
operations handcuffed by DHS officials to the point of being unable to carry
out their sworn duties."